All the Pretty Girls
by CharlieMichelle
Summary: Dialogue prompt: Person A insults Person B, but Person B hears a compliment. Except: "Well damn right I'm pretty!" That was not what he had said, "I said you're petty." Typical House 8 dynamics.


**A/N: Happy New Year! Here's another story that is nothing like I promised previously. More to come too! As I've started at least three The 100 fanfics this holiday season -because of course, I'd binge the show that ripped my heart out by the end of their second season upon finding out that season seven will be the finale. Regardless, in honor of the first part of Fire Force coming to a close, I give you... this! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the characters or any other materials that belong to Fire Force. **

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There was this one time, one time, that Takehisa Hinawa had regretted ever bringing Maki Oze along with him in the formation of House Eight. She had infuriated him for the majority of the time they spent in the military as she always pushed herself too hard, exhausted herself too fast and ultimately had proven herself to be one of the strongest assets of his team. She stood confidently at roll call each morning and never let her family name get her anything. And despite how much Takehisa really wanted to dislike the spunk behind her eyes (and the way she'd cross her arms over her chest whenever she had proven him wrong), but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. The truth was that Takehisa admired Maki and all the things that made her, her. Except for this one particularly annoying trait. See, Maki Oze had one major flaw and it was that she couldn't just let things go.

The prime example being; that very moment as they all sat around completing their reports from another infernal bust. As the usual banter went back and forth between Shinra and Arthur, as Captain Obi laughed and eased the tension that surrounded them it was a slip of the tongue. In fact, Takehisa couldn't quite remember what he had said when the comment had been made, but it had been directed towards Maki as it was her head that spun around and her finger that pointed to herself and her voice that rang out over the group; "Did you just say that... about... me?"

Well, now that was awkward because he couldn't remember if he had thrown out the correct insult to her –they had been bickering just moments ago, but it was so hard to be heard over the chorus of voices that surrounded them. So instead, he nodded and in the next moment, he had never regretted anything more...

"Well damn right I'm pretty!"

That, that was not what he had said. "I believe I said petty." There, that was it, that had to be it! There was no plausible way he would let such a shallow comment slip past his lips. If he had intended to compliment her, he would have done so by complimenting her ambition, her means of handling the distraught wife that had to watch her husband burn alive. At the least, he would have thanked her for the support she offered to Shinra as they extinguished the Infernal. As it was, he instead had meant to insult her consistent need to hold on to previous insults (many of which were not actually said).

"I heard pretty, and I shall accept your compliment for what it is." Maki sat with her back tall and flashed him her killer smirk, the one that clearly read that she was in control of the situation and no way was going to be how this ended. "Unfortunately, Lieutenant, I'm afraid my family would never approve."

"That's not even what I said..." he grumbled but it fell on deaf ears as Maki continued to recite all the reasons that her family found him so inferior. He rolled his eyes and continued with his work. "... they don't even sound the same."

Maki laughed because whenever Takehisa was embarrassed or in denial he had the tendency to pout like a child and stare at whatever was immediately in front of him. She hated to admit it, but the guy could get under her skin. For as long as she's known him, he's had that tendency to denounce her and look at her as if she were the weak link. She worked so hard to gain his approval throughout the academy and her time as a cadet. And it had all proven worth it when he had approached her about the start-up of House Eight of the Special Fire Force and insisted that she join the team he had formed with Akitaru Obi.

And then he would go and extinguish her flames, literally, and while she understood the reasoning behind it, she just couldn't help but be irked. No matter who else was in the room, his eyes always found her first (roles reversed this was also true, but so not the point) and while she had found it endearing that he worried for her wellbeing so frequently, frankly, it was insulting. Of course, he had called her petty, Takehisa wasn't designed to let simple compliments slip through his straight lips! He was literally a walking machine, or at least, it felt like he was. Maki couldn't remember a time where he wasn't so closed off and emotionally distant from everyone. Perhaps it had been how he was raised, or maybe when he was a child, he had free energy about him and then the military changed it. The possibilities truly were endless, but the end result was the same.

She liked teasing him. She was startled by the realization just as she was startled but his whispered complaint about her. It was true though and that was the exact reason she just couldn't stop until Obi had intervened and told her that was enough. "Obviously our fair lieutenant here is not used to having such a pretty girl's attention on him."

"I've had plenty of pretty girls' attention on me, thank you very much," Takehisa grunted out bitterly.

"So, you admit you think that Maki is pretty." Arthur twirled the pen in his hand around, smug brat looked proud of himself, Takehisa determined he'd have to put him on latrine duty for the upcoming week. Shinra too if he didn't stop his snickering.

"I said she was petty!"

"Yeah, not from what we heard Lieutenant." Shinra was going to be put on latrine duty with Arthur. "I don't see why it's such a big deal, we all know it's not a secret you think she's good looking. I mean, she's not my type, but she's alright."

Maki just gaped at Shinra before the explosion; "Did you just say that you couldn't be into me because I'm a huge manlike figure with no manners!? How dare you!? I'll end you right now Shinra!"

"I literally didn't say anything like that you crazy person!"

"Ah, so it is entirely possible that Lieutenant did not call Maki pretty." everyone stopped and looked at their scientist as he pondered aloud, "See if Maki assumed that Shinra's comment was an insult that focused around her strength and overall masculine personality –in comparison to the other female members of the Special Fire Force who all demonstrate the exact opposite... it all makes sense now, yes I see."

The rest of the team stared; the question hung in the air until Obi cleared his throat; "What do you see exactly?"

"Oh," he jumped, "well I was just pondering the idea that Maki's confidence can only go so far, basically what I'm saying is that Maki has serious self-esteem issues and so to cope with it she insinuates a much worse comment made and overreacts, but she'll play a compliment off like a joke."

"I do not do that!" Maki screeched, but it was too late, everyone in the room had the chance to think about it and they all seemed to think that was the most obvious conclusion to come to. "You can't actually think I'm insecure and that I play compliments off like a joke. Lieutenant Hinawa didn't even really compliment me!"

"Well, true, but he's the first and only person you've yet to blow upon. Naturally, it makes sense, with the attraction and all, but it's still quite entertaining to watch."

"Whoa now, there is no attraction between him and I. That would be ridiculous..." she continued to mutter out smaller fragments of her thoughts, not that anyone could really follow along. Takehisa just hid his face behind his hand, this whole day had gotten extremely out of hand. "... besides, he would never compliment me on my looks he'd tell me I did a good job on scrubbing the bay floors or something."

"Or he could actually think you're pretty." Obi smiled brightly as he made the statement, but it made both parties in question want to strangle him.

"That's not..." he groaned, "...I said she was petty, petty not pretty."

"So, you don't think Maki is pretty?" Oh, brother, he thought as Arthur smirked over at him. Shinra laughed behind his hand and Obi looked mildly curious as well. What was he supposed to do here? Say yes and have them dig into him? Say no and potentially hurt his friend's feelings. He hadn't considered her a friend before, but it only made sense, she'd known him the longest out of their entire team and sometimes brought him the sanity he needed to continue his day. Plus, when she smiled, it made things easier or lighter. Oh god, he thought she was pretty!

"I mean... of course, Maki-chan is pretty, but that's not..." he groaned again and slammed his face towards the desk, how was this his life? "She shouldn't have to hear me say it to know it's true, nor should she be sensitive about herself. She's the only person I trusted from the military for this position. She shouldn't assume that just because she's hauling ass all the time and keeps up with her fitness doesn't mean she's any less of a woman."

The room sat in stunned silence before murmurs of agreement rose through the air. Maki sat stunned at first and then she smiled softly; "So, you do think I'm pretty... interesting."

Takehisa groaned into his arms again, but this time he smiled softly into his sleeve. Maki Oze was indeed very pretty, especially when she was humbled and flushed as she had been at that very moment. He figured he'd let her have this one time to be right, but just this once.

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**A/N: Alright that about does it! Thanks for joining me for this piece! If you're around on tumblr feel free to look me up: clairetheair is the username! **


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